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Program created to restore Crane Lake shoreline

The Municipal District of Bonnyville (MD) is introducing a new program to restore the shoreline around Crane Lake.

The pilot project for riparian restoration would be used to implement similar programs around other lakeshore development.

The project is intended to restore environmental reserves along the lakeshore.

It will help property owners maintain the environmental reserves along the edge of the property and restore reserves which have been destroyed.

The idea of the program is to bring some buffers back to the lake and keep the lake healthier,” said Katlyn MacDonald, environmental coordinator.

“We don’t want to see a large amount of bacteria and all that kind of stuff happen to the lake and see it degrade, so by providing the opportunity to enhance our environmental reserves, we can actually mitigate any future damages to the lake and we can reverse some of the damages that have already occurred.”

The program will be funded through grants.

“It’s a program to really watch the lakeshores and the lands that are under environmental reserve and municipal reserve, so they’re not overly developed in the sense that all the natural habitat is peeled off and then there’s nothing to filter the water going into the lakes,” said Reeve Ed Rondeau.

“People have to become aware that if you remove all of the vegetation and fertilize your lawns up to the lake, you’re harming the lake more than if you leave the natural grasses alone.”

If the program is successful, it will be introduced to other lakes in the MD.

“Crane Lake was chosen as the pilot project because the subdivision there is small, it’s 87 lots, including the municipal campgrounds,” MacDonald said. “We can hopefully transfer it to a larger lake like Moose lake which has multiple subdivisions and a huge number of lots.”

The program could improve the state of Moose Lake, which has deteriorated in quality over time.

Through the program “you can see how one lot can actually affect the lake, and if you fix it you can do your part to create a healthier lake,” MacDonald said.